The Rise of Mobile Gaming

Mobile gaming is here to stay. The technology has caught up with the theory – basically, play anything, anywhere, any time – and the percentage of people who now enjoy their daily fix of online gaming on phones and tablets is well past the tipping point. What used to be the preserve of the console-bound hardcore gamer is now open to anyone who can get their hands on a smartphone.

Smartphone Revolution

So what’s behind the phenomenal growth of mobile gaming? The massive improvements in smartphone technology over the last few years have certainly helped. Apple really kicked off the smartphone revolution in 2007 with the first iPhone. The innovative touchscreen meant that a keypad was surplus to requirements; and it soon became obvious that, as far as screen size was concerned, bigger was better. Android followed the next year, opening up the market with handsets cheaper than Apple’s premium iPhones.

This fantastic touchscreen technology was scaled up to tablet size in 2010 with Apple’s iPad – and of course a host of cheaper alternatives. By mid 2013, Android and iOS accounted for 90% of all phone sales worldwide.

New Players

The two operating systems now represent a huge market for the major games companies. Games for phones and tablets have attracted a swathe of new players who would never have dreamed of sitting in front of a console to play. But the thrill of playing on – say – the bus on the way home from work has proved a massive draw. The range of games, coupled with the free-to-download nature of many of them, has proved addictive. The fact that many mobile games allow players to win money has helped as well.

Games to Try

So what games are available? The choice is endless.Dr Driving is a challenging little app in which you conduct a vehicle around a busy city, steering by tilting the handset and using the onscreen pedals.

Jordan is the Editor-in-Chief at imediamonkey®. He set up the website in August 2009 and has been at the helm ever since. Jordan is also one of the two Company Directors at imediamonkey® ltd - the parent company of imediamonkey®.